Resources for the Study of Literature❦

While none of the study and summary sites on this page are substitutes for reading a story, novel, or poem, they all offer helpful resources for better understanding or reviewing the texts that we use in class.

The final sites on this page, Project Gutenburg and Libri Vox, offer myriad books in the public domain for free; whether on your computer, Kindle, iPad, or other reader, you can read or listen to Dracula, all of Shakespeare's plays, the works of Jane Austen, and any other book old enough to be in the public domain.

Trying to remember in which chapter Jem and Scout found Boo Radley's gifts? Can't quite remember whether it's Zeus or Poseidon who's referred to as "Earthshaker" (it's Poseidon)? Really struggling to get into Act II of Romeo and Juliet? Want to review before you take the ACT?
Check out Shmoop! Shmoop has literature guides, study guides, flashcards, and literary criticism to help you in your understanding and study of the literature we cover in class. From novels to short stories to Greek and Roman mythology, Shmoop is the place to go if you need help with a Lit. assignment.

Just to reinforce the point: you still have to read the book, but if you want to study up for the exam or quickly reference a series of chapters to find where someone said something or an event occurred, this is a great resource. Use it responsibly.

Project Gutenburg provides full online, searchable text of many, many works in the public domain. Whether you want to find and analyze every time a character uses the word "hand" in Macbeth or whether you just want to find something good to read, explore the online library that is Project Gutenburg.

LibriVox is the audio version of Project Gutenburg. If you prefer listening to your books or if it helps for you to hear Shakespeare, LibriVox will be one of your new favorite sites. Also, you can download these recordings directly to your iPod or other .mp4 device, to listen to them anywhere.